It’s Not Just The Boxers Who Are Brain Damaged

“you lock the door
and throw away the key
there’s someone in my head but it’s not me.”
– Pink Floyd

The problem with our society is we have so much bias that we notice it the same way a fish notices water. It’s all around us but we don’t think anything of it. Any system will behave based on their values. I have written many many times that Philippine society often prioritizes pansin over logic. I mentioned that in my first GRP post that is that unquenchable thirst for pansin that many in this fair land that somehow made a US born, half Mexican into a 16 year old female Atlas with the whole Philippines on her shoulder. Makes you wonder what being Filipino is all about if someone who was not born or raised here somehow captures the imagination of the people here. It’s actually a sign of laziness. We won’t put any work in development but we will take credit since part of our watered down blood is in you.

With the results of today’s fight many Pinoys are now so quick to disown boxing. Not because anything has really changed within the sport. They want to drop it because they see the writing on the wall. That boxing will no longer be a vehicle for pansin. If there is no Filipino champion to extol the virtues of all Filipinos then let’s ditch boxing. Of course there is the usual pinoy blame game. Everything else is at fault except the pinoy. Blame Arum, blame bribery in boxing. Our own Ben Kritz blamed Gloria on Twitter.

Ben was only kidding of course. It’s a play on the current occupant of Malacanang to blame his predecessor for everything. As much as I mock B.S. Aquino, he is really perfect for the Philippines. Excelling in the blame game. Just like it is never the fault of the “pinoy” in things that really matter to them like American Idol, Miss Universe and boxing reciprocally BS Aquino is all about taking all the credit and passing all the blame. Ilda gave an explanation to the report that a few of local politicians were seen in a tweet today. I won’t speak for her but I noticed this incestuous relationship a long time ago.

If all you did was read pinoy media you would think basketball and boxing are the only sports the USA consumes. The NBA is popular but it is not the year round obsession that the NFL is. The NBA Finals in 2007 could not even beat the Sopranos finale. In fact no one has ever come up with an explanation why we are the only country in the world that prioritizes basketball over all else yet we can not beat the other countries who do not?

Boxing despite their huge payouts to the fighters boxing is far from being the dominant sport in the US. Here is a peek into what all that hype is trying to conceal. In a country where the best tackle football, baseball, basketball and hockey in the world can be found Colin Cowherd compares boxing’s popularity to swimming. ESPN’s Ryen Russillo in this audio claims boxing’s leadership is a joke. The very popular Sports Guy Bill Simmons puts boxing’s decline into perspective when he compares the present to his youth. How the demand for boxing is not what it once was. Boxing is nowhere near as popular as it once was. Boxing has pronounced relevance here because the common man sees Manny exports them. Boxing does not reverberate in the rest of the world like it once did but the pinoy will always sacrifice perspective if it gives them the perception of the promise of pansin.

A newspaper is a public trust. It is supposed to be a watchdog and educator. It is supposed to be our window to the world. In my opinion our newspapers here do not serve us:

If you believe that boxing is not what it once was in terms of prestige how can Manny Pacquiao be considered the best ever? Opinions belong in the editorial section but this skewed opinion is a headline? Headline stories are supposed to be as factual as possible. I have no idea what this serves except to appeal to the casual buyer’s sense of attention seeking.

I have no idea why some people think the Philippines let down the Christian faith by having Lady Gaga perform here. The Inquirerput this as a headline and as far as I know I am the only one disturbed by it. A headline in the Inquirer has far more reach across the country than lyrics in a show that some thousands will see. The Inquirer equated a guy in shorts opening a can of whoop a@@ on a Mexican in Vegas to Christmas Day. For some the manifestation of their supreme being on Earth. No one protests that but they will protest a lewd British sitcom for being lewd.

These are all bad headlines in what is supposed to be a “serious” news outlet. In the end they all want to sell by not cultivating your brain cells but by obliterating them. I said earlier that a headline story let alone a headline should be factual. This is an example of a headline that is simply an opinion from a very biased source. The one being quoted was Freddie Roach. He is the best at what he does and a remarkable story. Yet he is part of the Manny Pacquiao organization. There is no objectivity in his opinion nor should there be. You be loyal to your employer. Not sure why though that necessarily makes that opinion front page news. Story is here.

My last boxing example was not a headline but may be the most important thing I will say here. One of the smartest things anyone can do in a risky endeavor is to quit while they are ahead. I doubt enough was made of what happened to Z Gorres to impact on the ordinary Filipino that there is a price to pay for stepping into the ring. My blog predated the Gorres incident by a year. Concussions are a horrible grotesque thing to do to your brain and the object of boxing is to administer them.

BenK is a pillar of the Get Real community and I already referred to him once already. I can not tell for sure but the avatar he uses appears to be a picture of Mike Webster. Mike Webster in his day was the Manny Pacquiao of offensive lineman. The end for Mike was not pretty. Before we further glorify Manny Pacquiao keep in mind what is being done to him and what he does to others. I am not sure why we all want to latch our national identity to that.

Speaking of brain damage, I present this last headline. This was dated June 10 2010. The story is here. I have no idea why he was being hailed. Notice the boxing style pose. The raising of the arms usually signifies years of training and a reward for either knocking your opponent out or being better than he was after twelve rounds of intense action and both of you are still standing. In BS Aquino’s case I can only guess what his arms are raised for.

At the time of the headline and the picture all Noynoy ever did was win elections, insult competitors with better resumes and have the right parents. I thought only brain damaged people would think those qualifications were worthy of a vote for president. We worship Manny and we worship Noynoy. Fitting since both make a living abolishing neurons and glial cells. Even the headlines say so.

Brainitus, the guy would not know suave if it bit him in the butt. No poise and he is our leader. Not sure how other people kiss the ground he walks on, let alone stand him. Oh sorry Fishball. Did not mean to insult your kuya.

@Gogs, you and @brianitus are hilarious here. I saw briefly flashed on the news BSAquino slouching while opposite him is a suave US prez graceful in his sitting position. I commented to my husband about how I wish he can just sit up straight even for just a bit while with Obama, just so he wouldn’t project the weakness that he and his country represents. But mine is a puny wish. Sigh. I am embarassed everytime I see him with his mouth agape during situations when he should act presidential. That’s why I boycott most news coverage of his foreign trips. Call me mababaw. lol

If Pinoys take Pacquiao’s win as one of their own, then it’s only fair that they take his loss the same way, no? According to a few sports analysts, Pacquiao’s signs of aging are showing. Similarly, that ridiculous, hollow thing called Pinoy pride is getting old, too.

By the way, are certain Pinoys just naturally born suffering concussions in their heads? Those who are seem to have their brains “wired differently”.

Although pacman lost, many in the world, even those hollywood personalities and boxing spectators believe he won. Pacman did not lose his crown in the ring but it was stolen from him by the judges and handed it to Bradley. We must be proud to be filipino because the world is on our back!

It’s not justice served, it’s flawed justice. And in case you don’t notice, Corona’s appointment was LEGAL, according to constitutional experts. The immature PNoy and his dumb allies are making an issue about it.

Totally agree. Hope you read my older blogs about the “Basta Pinoy Da Best” mentality. Like we are God’s chosen people and everybody else looks up on us. A myth so quickly extinguished to those who have ever travelled abroad with a Filipino passport.

I probably don’t have to read your old blog post. No offense meant. I suppose it would berate people like this Facebook “friend” of mine who really wanted to see the Sound of Music at Resort World Manila because “sigurado maganda yun. pinoy kasi”

When Filipinos win, we are “world class”, “better than every one else”.
When Filipinos lose, we are “cheated”, “the contest was unfair”, “victims of racism”, “still winners in everyone’s eyes”.
This for any competition the person or team we support partakes in, be it elections, singing contests, boxing matches, basketball games. We are either winners or we got robbed of a win. Pity us Filipinos, for we are always cheated.

Filipinos also say they respect and accept the outcome, but, within the same breath, say they know they won. Isn’t that self-contradicting? We never lose, much less, gracefully.

We even use the credentials of Hollywood personalities and other lay people to give credence to our claim of winning. In other words, we buttress our claim with support from people who don’t matter. Refer to AI and this boxing match.

Worse, we resort to cheating, ourselves, as in the recent American Idol. Maybe, that’s why we are so quick to complain about cheating, because we do it as well.

Filipino pride, yes. This “pride” being one of the seven deadly sins of the Bible.

Even now, when every one claims it is so obvious that Manny Pacquiao won, we have cried wolf too many times that I, for one, am too tired to care.

To continue what i said in another post. Whether the pinoy is “triumphant” (often in insignificant arenas) or the sorrowful victim, the bottom line is still the same. “Look at me!!!!” Pansin is the national obsession at almost any level. We can’t analyze culture and behavior without running into that.

“Pansin” or everything has to be showbiz. If it’s not showbiz-y enough, or not sensational enough, it’s not worth a centimo. Correct me if I’m wrong, but as I remember it, it took several days for the average Filipino to be aware of Efren PeÃ±aflorida and his work, achievement, and recognition. And only because of his voicing out his desire to meet Angel Locsin. If this didn’t run its course through the usual showbiz channels, many would probably never have heard of PeÃ±aflorida. The sad thing is, people were more interested in his interest in Angel Locsin rather than the noble work he did and still does.

Yeah. As long as it’s attention, the Filipino will want it. It sickens me to no end, especially since they don’t WANT to better themselves. They just want people to look at them just to fill the void of their sad existence…which happens to be a black hole.

Hence the hypocracy. We can be so proud like a strutting peacock one minute then crying like the most mistreated victims. A good example of that was Fishball, I mean Kris Aquino on national TV crying about being mistreated by Joey Marquez. Totally symbolizes the pinoy spirit or lack of it. One minute look at me how galing I am then the next minute look at me, the world is so against me I am so malas. I want fairness.

And now Pinoys find out the other end of a decision call in boxing when it comes to their ‘Pambansang Kamao’. Its all cool when Pac-man perseveres, and rightfully so, in a pitted and close contest where his knockout power couldn’t do the job and his fate is left to the judges with how they feel he did for the entire night. They were jeering when Marquez’s party were making the claims but when Pacman came out of the wrong end of a judge’s decision, he is ‘cheated’ out of a victory? The difference really is Pacman took his lumps and his purse that night, while the Filipinos back home who emotionally invested and feeling the lack of vindication only have that to comfort themselves in a loss. And guess what, Manny still wins because there is money in a rematch! Pinoys just can’t catch a break in real time success.

The impeachment trial was not rigged because Corona is unfit to be chief justice. He did not declare his dollar account in his SALN which is required by the law to public officials. And most, 80% of Filipinos agree.

@rigged . You got my point . Pinoy priorities and values are out of whack in my opinion, The routine loss of life because of politics and recklessness people can tolerate. But any perceived slight in boxing, American Idol and beauty pageants them the Pinoy has the God given right to go ballistic and it’s front page news,

I’m sorry but you’re so driven by jealousy you’re inflating a petty issue.

How many Pinoys have you actually interviewed to conclude that the people have decided to disown boxing? And do Pinoys really care whether boxing is number one in America or not? They’re probably not aware of it.

And excuse me, Pacquiao’s opponent on that date is not a defenseless child. He is a professional athlete who entered the ring by his own decision and could inflict the same damage on Manny. And also, Manny did not infringe on boxing rules to deliver that damage. It was in the nature of the sport.

I bet if Manny received that flurry of blows, you would be celebrating.

@xc I beg to differ. Pinoys are ksp and love boxing not for the sport but for the pansin they can derive from it. There are protests all over the Pinoy papers even 4 days after. Can’t they get a life . Me , jealous ? Like I want to be this weenie . Boxing is a sleazy sport. Only with a Manny loss is this news to pinoys. They ride Manny boxing results like their lives depended on it. with every win there is endless rejoicing. Now at a loss , the whole system is to be questioned. Let me guess, you believe the headlines are rational journalist practice? I am merely pointing out behavior patterns. Thanks for reading .